The Perfect Combination
by Calzonalways
Summary: A revisiting of happier times and origins of love. Takes place around the time of Alex & Izzie's wedding and fills in missing scenes - pizza and nakedness are involved. Getting ready for the wedding, Callie reflects on her growing affection for Arizona and how they came to share that day…and night. Arizona's perspective's covered, too. Steamy in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_The Perfect Combination_

_Rated M_

_Disclaimer & Full Synopsis: _

_Shonda & CO own all characters here; I merely play in their world and try to treat them well. After a rough Calzona season, I needed to go back and revisit what makes Callie and Arizona so amazing as a forever couple. This is my first fic – largely a filler piece for the space between Alex & Izzie's wedding and the "Holy stethoscopes! They're in bed, eating pizza…naked!" scene at the end of _What a Difference a Day Makes_ (Season 5, ep 22), but also offers a glimpse into the psyches of our two favorite surgeons before and when they met. Some awesome online buds suggested the inclusion of an elevator scene & a reference to calzone (the food), so I did my best there. I used a public domain version of a song I needed lyrics for at a crucial moment, so no copyright infringement intended, etc. Oh, and the story contains a very large dollop of smut, so if that's not your deal, you might want to skip over that part. I welcome and respond to feedback but if you're mean about it, I'll just cry. I hope you enjoy the ride. **Special thanks to my Beta and wife, Susan, for making absolutely everything in my life better. _

Chapter 1

Sitting in the pew next to Arizona Robbins, Callie Torres beamed with an exhilaration that had little to do with their reason for being in the church. As the bride and groom pledged their vows and tears flowed from friends and coworkers, Callie's attention drifted toward reflecting on how it came to be that she and Arizona would spend this evening together. Memories bombarded her one by one. Her first thought was that no one would have blamed her if she'd walked away in a huff back when the condescending – albeit ridiculously hot – pediatric surgeon dismissed her as a babe-in-the-lesbian-woods. But giving up really wasn't in the Torres genes.

"A '_newborn_?' Did she just…?" Callie stood indignant, watching as Arizona Robbins walked away. She hoped no one would notice her stealing a glance at the blonde's backside. "Oh, no…she did not." The pursuer would become the pursued. If Callie was intrigued, she'd take chase, and persistency was her middle name. Or rather she wished it were, because "Iphigenia" was a nightmare to explain, defend, and spell while growing up. But intrigued she was. Despite Callie's reluctance to admit to herself or anyone else that this blonde attending…this _perky_ blonde _peds_ attending…made her heart beat wildly and her mouth water on sight, in the end she couldn't deny she was in fact, a very smitten kitten.

It had been very different with George. When Callie heard rumors of his heart-in-the-elevator heroics, it appealed to her inner medigeek. Competence had always been an aphrodisiac for her. She met George, found that he had a wonderful heart and amazing potential as a trauma surgeon, and developed feelings for the shy intern very quickly. Again, once invested, Callie had a tendency to follow through, so although George's affection always seemed a bit reserved, and knowing she was neglecting the strong sense that something was missing, Callie took what George was able to give and hoped that what she felt would be enough to sustain them both. With his subsequent infidelity and their mutual unrest during their brief marriage, she eventually admitted – to herself if no one else – that she had been trying to make the relationship into something it simply wasn't. It didn't help matters that on many occasions she found herself defending her attraction to George.

"I don't get you, Torres. You're hot. I mean, I _know_ hot, and you're it. I never got why you'd waste your time with the likes of O'Malley. He's…he's _O'Malley_ for crying out loud," the plastic surgeon worked his mouth around the man's name with a tinge of revulsion.

"Shut up, Mark," Callie replied, shaking her head.

"Look," he continued, "I get why you spend time with me. We're in tune, we know what gets us off, we're brilliant, and we're spectacular in the sheets..."

"That doesn't even resemble shutting up, Mark," she said with a sigh.

"So how is it" he continued without pause, "that O'Malley even got a second look? I mean, you've had _me_. How do you go back to…to that?"

"You're a pig, Mark," she finally added with a playful, slightly exasperated look.

"Stop 'Marking' me. He must be hung like a freaking stallion," Mark assessed.

"Why? You're certainly not, and I kept sleeping with you," Callie countered.

"You wound me, Torres."

Callie was raised in a strict, Catholic home by very reserved, traditional parents. She had never said "I love you" to anyone other than family before George; it didn't come easily for her, and it hurt like hell to finally open up and have her feelings crushed. Closing herself off to further romance (and hopefully further pain), casual meetings to blow off pent up sexual energy with self-described sex god and best buddy Mark helped keep her libido in check. That allowed her to focus less on romantic entanglements and more on her work and on having fun hanging with the girls. The sex was really good with Mark, no question. So never in a million years did Callie think she'd find herself wanting to hang out with one particular girl. A lot. Eventually all naked and horizontal-like.

Enter Erica Hahn. The aloof, strong-willed cardiothoracic surgeon was nearly legendary for her work at Seattle Presbyterian, and after she transferred to Seattle Grace, she and Callie fell into an easy friendship. Part of their connection came from commiserating over not having luck with men in the recent past, and over teasing the ever-salacious Mark by playing up their close friendship. Both women took delight in making him think they were engaging in a little girl-on-girl action on the sly. It didn't take long before Callie and Erica realized they loved spending time together above anyone else, and that there actually was something more there to explore. A bit apprehensively, they agreed to date. This was a first for them both, and as things took a natural sexual turn, Callie developed severely cold feet; Polar Ice Cap type cold feet.

"Oh my god, kissing a woman is…" Erica interrupted herself by placing another brief kiss on Callie's lips. Callie's apartment was warm thanks to the still searing hot embers in the fireplace. Truth was, the room would have felt plenty warm without its assistance. They had just started making out, and like it was when pushing any new sexual boundary, even if it wasn't absolutely great, it was one hell of a rush.

"Mmm hmm," was the only response, as her kiss was returned.

"I mean it's so -" Erica continued.

"I know, right?" Callie cut her comment off with another quick kiss. "It's –"

They ended the kiss and spoke at the same time in a rush to sum up the experience.

"Life-affirming!"

"Hot!"

Each woman pulled back a bit, trying to replay and digest what the other said.

"Hang on. Is 'hot' what you get from this, Torres?" Erica asked incredulously as she leaned away.

Callie was taken aback. "What? Well, yeah," she answered matter-of-factly. She paused for a beat when she took in the look on Erica's face. "No?" She shook her head in confusion, ill prepared to sum up her feelings. Erica's response then echoed through her mind. "Wait. Did you just say 'life-affirming?'" she asked with the crook of one eyebrow. "Wow. That's…wow." Callie unconsciously leaned further away. She suddenly felt they were on different pages of a very large, complex book.

"I know. It's pretty wow, I know," Erica said. "But this, _this_ is what I've always thought I was supposed to feel" she said, her hands motioning between herself and Callie. "It was never this way with anyone before. It feels like things finally make sense. Being here with you right now, it's like the puzzle pieces are falling into place," she said, taking Callie's hands into her own. "Like everything that didn't fit in my life before just…does. Don't you get that too?"

Callie wished she did. Instead she felt a tingle go through her spine, much the way she did in high school when she was made fun of by the cool girls. A self-described "back of the room hair-eater," Callie was never part of the "in" crowd. Her body experienced a flight or fight sensation whenever she was called out, and sitting here with Erica in this moment, even as an accomplished adult, she once again found herself on the outside looking in, not getting it, and feeling guilty for not being on board. Why did everything have to be so complicated? All she knew is that she enjoyed this woman and she was having a great time with her. Granted, Erica was a very intense person in all aspects of her life. Maybe that was part of the problem. Callie was having fun exploring and enjoying the journey, while Erica was already busy throwing a victory party at the finish line.

"Erica, believe me, this is good. It's all…very, very good," Callie said as she squeezed Erica's hands and smiled. "I mean, I don't know if it's suddenly shown me the meaning of God and life, but it's really –"

"Callie, don't joke. Seriously, what are we doing here? What is this to you?" Erica implored.

Callie felt awful for not initially comprehending that Erica was having a breakthrough of some sort, and she never meant to make light of her feelings. As for the answer to Erica's question, she honestly didn't have one, and that bothered them both. But they genuinely enjoyed being with each other, and continued to explore the relationship cautiously, mostly without dissecting or examining it to closely.

One thing was clear; after practicing the fine art of the birds and the bees from a heterosexual perspective her entire adult life, Callie was anything but confident in terms of her ability to satisfy another woman. To top it off, she was equally uncertain if she would be able to relax and enjoy that level of sexual intimacy with a woman once they finally reached that point. Sure enough, when they did take that leap, Callie froze. Not being able to "taste the local cuisine" as Bailey once referred to it, Callie felt like a total failure in Sapphic Love 101. The opportunity to go down on Erica was certainly there, but Callie just couldn't do it. It was something she knew she should do, but lacked the confidence – and even worse – the desire to.

She'd already embarrassed the hell out of herself and Bailey in the aforementioned conversation which Callie wished never to relive, and after getting – for lack of a better phrase – "first-hand" pointers from the always willing Mark, she approached Erica again. She did so, as she would later reflect, a bit more in the spirit of an "A" student trying to perfect a lesson, than as a woman full of excitement and desire rushing to the arms of her lover. Good at pretty much everything she'd ever tried other than public speaking, Callie privately struggled with the realization that she went back to Erica with something to prove rather than with feelings to convey.

Afterward, though Erica said the sex was mind-blowing and life altering (which was, again, a little heavy on the drama for Callie), the blonde had abruptly walked away from her job and their relationship over a conflict involving a coworker. Erica's reaction to one disagreement, coupled with lingering opposing views on where the relationship stood, gave Callie pretty solid evidence that their involvement wasn't meant to last. But she was hurt nonetheless by not having the chance to find out, and she was still trying to figure out why sex with a woman didn't turn her away from being interested in having sex with men. Or man. Mark. She could still count on Mark for a good time when she was between relationships, which confused her even more.

"I just don't get this. If I'm…" Callie wasn't sure what terms applied to her or if she needed to use any at all; this was all so new to her. "If I…am…_whatever_…shouldn't it be different with you than it is with her? Shouldn't I not like sex with you? Or like sex more with her?" She'd met Mark for lunch at the cafeteria but had trouble finding her appetite, and sat absentmindedly picking at her salad.

"Cal, you really have to stop getting hung up on labels. Chill and enjoy it. You're a hot, sexual woman, ride the wave. If you're bi, you're bi. It's hot," Mark chided.

"Jesus, Mark. Everything's 'hot' to you," Callie said. She recalled irritating Erica with that same word. Shaking off the memory and her sour mood, she continued. "I swear if you looked at this long enough, you'd have a pup tent in your pants," she said, holding up her Spork that speared a cherry tomato. "You have a one track penis, you know that?" she laughed. "Besides, 'bi' is a label, too," she added.

She wasn't a stranger to the concept of bisexuality, but needed to warm up to the idea that it might apply to her. Did it really just hit her in her early 30s that she's actually into men _and_ women? Or was it just Erica? Maybe that would never happen again. Maybe it was just something about the two of them together. That confused Callie even more, because at the heart of it, she always felt something was missing in her relationship with Erica, too. But now she hand first-hand knowledge that there was a lot that was far beyond alluring in being with a woman, and she couldn't imagine not experiencing that again. At the heart of it, what she hoped to find in a relationship seemed an impossible combination; the fairytale she attempted to build with George, the physical chemistry she had with Mark, and the friendship and companionship that came so easily with Erica.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Having been cheated on and left abruptly by George and Erica respectively, Callie felt some of her inner light dim. Just plain exhausted from giving herself over only to be hurt so deeply, it seemed harder to bounce back after each wound. She'd learned long ago to grab a drink or other distraction, process it all as best she could, and move on. The next day would present new bones to crack and set, and she would heal right along with them.

"Hey Joe. Hit me again?" Callie asked the bartender-slash-owner without taking her eyes off her empty glass.

"You betcha, Dr. T. You doin' okay over there?" he replied.

"No," she said without hesitation. "I'm tired of hearing myself whine about it, though."

"You've been sitting here for about an hour and I don't think you've spoken five words, except to order drinks," Joe said. She'd had four shots and was finally starting to feel it.

"Yeah, but I've been bitching in my head really loud, and frankly I'm getting on my nerves," Callie said.

Joe couldn't help but chuckle. "Would it help to talk about it? Uh, you know, audibly...sort of a two-person thing?" he asked.

"No. I _so_ don't want to talk. Sick of talking," she replied softly.

"Okay, but I'm here if you change yo-"

"The thing is," Callie interrupted loudly, "with George I knew where I stood after a while, and I got it. I even got over it…after it hurt like hell and I wanted to kill people. I followed him around like faithful damned dog, and where did that get me?" she asked rhetorically. "And Erica? I don't even know how that happened. It was so fun, then totally scary, then I felt like I just kept letting her down no matter what I did. And she just left. Gone. No discussion, no goodbye. Wham, bam, gotta jam," she said, gesturing with her hand like a jet plane departing the bar top. "It's getting really old always feeling like I'm not enough, you know?" she asked as her hand jet came crashing down.

"Well, I'm sure it's not-"

"Joe, seriously, I really don't want to talk about it," Callie interjected.

"You got it, Doc," he said with a smirk and a slow shake of his head. He placed a full shot glass in front of her and turned to clean the countertop as Lexie Grey took the seat next to Callie.

Preventing a more drawn out conversation with Lexie, Callie downed her fifth Alabama Slammer and retreated to the Emerald City's bathroom for a long overdue cathartic cry.

Splashing the cool water on her face was invigorating, but when the cold water knob twisted completely off in her hand as she tried to turn off the flow, she decided she'd really had it up to her eyebrows with whole damned day. She adeptly replaced the handle through half-closed eyes without panicking; she was quite familiar with the bar's idiosyncrasies. _Enough is enough_, she thought, blindly reaching for the paper towels.

"Shit! Come on, are you kidding me?" she bellowed. Her wet hands groped at the jammed paper towel dispenser. It made half a dozen squeaking, snapping sounds, and finally yielded a three-inch swatch of twisted, nearly translucent, single-ply paper as she stood with water trickling down her face and along her neck and chest.

The contraption kicked out two more useless rations before partially correcting itself and dispensing a sheet large enough to do some good. Callie dried her forehead and cheeks and had just begun to dab at the mixture of tears and water in her eyes when she heard the bathroom door swing open. She sniffled again just as an unfamiliar voice greeted her by way of asking if she was okay. Callie turned to face an unequivocally gorgeous woman. Even through slightly blurred vision, she was taken aback by the woman's beauty, and the first thought that crossed her mind was that a person would have to be stone cold dead not to notice a set of blue eyes like those. Something stirred inside Callie, but she couldn't deny that she was in no mood to chat with anyone about anything at the moment. Yet this person was moving closer, insinuating herself into Callie's space.

Without hesitation, Arizona Robbins went on to introduce herself, inform her that the ortho's love life and plentiful assets had been the subject at the proverbial water cooler at work for quite some time, and advise her that Callie was a pretty hot prospect according to the hospital grapevine. The words bounced around in Callie's head, as she stood in disbelief that this conversation was actually happening at all. She supposed she should be flattered, but was definitely none too thrilled that people at work were talking about her private life.

The woman was saying only nice things to her, but Callie wanted nothing more than to finish her crying jag in peace, find a way to discretely dry up the water that had pooled inside her left bra cup, and then maybe roll into a ball at home and not come out until it was time to scrub in for her next surgery.

"People talk…" The interloper came closer, and Callie wasn't sure where this was going.

"The talk is good. When you're not upset, when you're over being upset, there'll be people lining up for you," the blonde assured.

Certain this woman must be overstating things in hopes of committing some random act of kindness, Callie replied through a half-hearted laugh. "You uh, wanna give me some names?"

Confident to the edge of cocky, sexy as hell, yet still managing to convey her sincere compassion for Callie's plight, in less than two minutes, this breathtaking woman lit a fire inside Callie. She ended their interaction with a gentle communicative kiss that resonated on Callie's lips and left her dazed, exhilarated, and hopeful. Arizona Robbins had that effect on Calliope Torres ever since.

"I think you'll know."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The "military brat" of a Marine Colonel, Arizona was raised to know how to roll with the punches. Her family moved more than a lot, so she made and lost friends on a regular basis and eventually learned not to get too close in the first place; less loss and pain that way. Her brother Tim had died a hero while carrying on the military family tradition overseas, and while Arizona was warm and kind toward people in general, his death had a profound effect on her ability to fully give herself to others on a deep, emotional level.

Perhaps as a means of having something she had control of, she took her studies seriously. Naturally a good student through high school, she was only disciplined once with detention on a base's school grounds, and that was for getting caught smoking. She'd picked the situational habit up when a cute, leather jacket wearing girl in Biology class told her it calmed her nerves before tests. Whether it was attributable to her first cigarette or to the kiss the two girls shared before class, Arizona couldn't say, but she passed the test with flying colors and never failed another one. To this day, if she gets severely stressed out, she knows she can quickly access one of two hidden packs she keeps for emergencies. The irony of a doctor who smokes is not lost on her, but she considers it her one vice and doesn't often indulge. But if being totally honest with herself, she might have to admit to two vices.

Arizona wasn't much for getting deeply involved in emotional relationships and romances, but she had no problem admitting she was a very sexual person. She was a woman who turned heads and never lacked for company if she wanted it. Naturally blonde, with a sympathetic gaze, fair, creamy skin, and a slim but quite womanly figure, she knew herself and her body well, and knew what she wanted. Arizona was certain she was gay as far back as she could recall; it was clear there would never be any bringing a boy home to meet the parents. She still marveled that her father, so steeped in his traditional ways, was almost immediately accepting of her sexuality. He got that underneath everything, regardless of things he might not be capable of fully understanding, Arizona was still the same daughter he loved, the same person he'd raised to be a "good man in a storm". She used to balk when he'd say that, because women can be damned strong in tough times, too, but she grew to love _the way_ he said it and his good intent; he made it clear he knew she didn't have to wait or look around for some man or woman to save her or complete her. She had the strength, she was the strength.

Working at Seattle Grace had a lot of perks, not the least of which was the sheer number of attractive, available nurses, interns, and doctors on staff. Arizona had spent many of her nights appreciating the specific talents of the female staff, and it was, in her words "super fun." It was a release. It occupied her mind and enabled her to push aside the pain she felt whenever, despite her best efforts, any of the tiny humans lost their lives on the operating tables and sterile rooms in the peds ward. But none of these women was anything more to her than a hook-up she might repeat a few times over a few months. She hadn't had what could be called a relationship in…she wasn't sure how long.

She'd seen Calliope Torres a time or two while checking in with her peds patients who had broken bones and spinal deformities, and she really liked what she'd seen. A good four inches taller than herself, Callie was fit, curvy in all the best places, with smooth, seemingly flawless skin like smoldering dark honey, expressive brown eyes, and long lustrous hair that had to have made other women jealous wherever she went. Calliope Torres was, to Arizona, sex personified.

Arizona was anything but shy when it came to asking women out, but she would never cross the boundary she'd long ago established that prevented her from pursuing women who were already otherwise attached. So she waited until hospital scuttlebutt indicated a split between Erica and Callie. Waited, until that night at the Emerald City Bar. But as comfortable as Arizona was in approaching women, she couldn't deny how quickly and unexpectedly her bravado melted when her lips first met Calliope's. This was about more than just some fling. Arizona knew – looking into Callie's eyes, seeing what she did there, feeling the energy that passed between them – that this was something different, and she was probably in deep trouble.

When Arizona and Callie agreed to start dating, the sparks were unlike anything Callie had experienced. Yes, she was off-the-charts attracted to Arizona's obvious beauty, but she was also transfixed by her astonishingly upbeat take on life. She exuded happiness despite her having been through and witnessed horrific tragedy. Callie also admired her professionally; it was inspiring to see how much energy she put into caring for each child and his or her family. Arizona was widely respected in the hospital, and her abilities in the operating room were sought out by experts across the country. That competence – combined with Arizona's dimples when she smiled that smile – were just what the doctor ordered, and Calliope Torres' heart had already written the prescription.

It struck Callie as genuinely funny that she found such profound happiness with someone who was so buoyant and optimistic, who skated through the hospital hallways on Heelys, who wore butterflies on her scrub cap, for goodness' sake. In truth, it was a wonderfully fitting counter to Callie's rather sardonic view of the world. Falling for Arizona, wanting to be with her, sharing her space, talking about everything and nothing; it had all come so unexpectedly, naturally, and easily. But not all of the external pressures and adjustments that came with dating Arizona had been light or comfortable. For instance, Callie's father wanted her to move back home when Callie told him she was dating Arizona, and disowned her when she refused.

Aside from having a truly awesome time being with Calliope, (and having an increasingly hard time restraining herself from ripping Callie's clothes off anytime they were alone), Arizona had come to trust that Callie supported her in friendship. Whether she had a tough case at work or just felt under the weather, no one had ever been there for Arizona that way. She was used to being the strong one all the time. This was companionship, affection, and attraction on a whole new level.

A couple of months into dating, Callie showed up at Arizona's apartment to make sure she was eating and drinking plenty of fluids during a rare bout of flu. Arizona had missed two days at work, and Callie arrived to check in on her with her arms full, bags spilling over with a few standard groceries plus a heating pad, a water bottle, a warm, pink fluffy robe, three type of tea, vegetable juice ("Don't look at me like that, Arizona. You know you need antioxidants!"), homemade chicken soup, and – not being sure which was her preference – too many kinds of sore throat lozenges to list. Not sure if her girlfriend would use any of them, she also brought fruit popsicles to help ease her throat. Arizona laughed, but not at the extremely attentive caregiver in front of her. She giggled at the surreal nature of the moment. Just minutes before Callie's arrival, Arizona had been feeling like death warmed over, and somehow the brunette had made her feel like the most important, cared for, vital person on the planet. She felt a warm sensation course through her body, and it had nothing to do with her low-grade fever. She felt loved. She realized she had fallen head over Heelys for the now slightly frazzled, remarkable woman who stood juggling toilet paper rolls, bags of Ricola, and a Neti pot in her bathroom.

"You dint hab to do dis," a congested Arizona said with a smile plastered on her slightly puffy face, dabbing a tissue to her sore nose before tossing it in the waste bin.

"Of course I didn't _have_ to. But I really want to be here. And I'm glad I am. You look awful," she said, and she saw Arizona give just the slightest pout. "No. No, not awful, baby," Callie said, taking Arizona's face into her hands. "Beautiful. You know, in a phlegmy, sleep-deprived, inflamed glands kind of way. I'd put money down that you could not _not_ look beautiful if you tried. You with flu-face is nature's way of just ever so slightly tipping the scales so other women have a teeny shot at not looking completely hideous in your presence. You even look amazing in your bear claw slippers and your butterfly jammies with your little red nose and oh-" Callie pointed to Arizona's face. "You're-dripping. It's, it's dripping," Callie rushed her words, made a scrunchy face, and handed Arizona another tissue.

"Thangz," she said with a sniff and an embarrassed roll of the eyes. She felt a flutter in her stomach as she replayed the Callie-speak back in her head. She'd never liked being thought of as anyone's baby before, but when Callie said it, it made her stomach do an unexpectedly pleasant summersault. She smiled. "So, Doctah Towwes, I dought you had dat cervical consult dis mohrnig. S'okay if you hab to get back. I -"

"Stop trying to run me off, woman," Callie playfully chided. "I took care of everything before I came over, and I'm not scheduled for surgery until tomorrow morning. I'm not going anywhere. Now, how about some tea? Have you eaten anything? Wait, do you even like tea?" she wondered aloud.

They had a lot to learn about each other, and like all new relationships on track, it was incredibly exciting to learn, explore, and laugh about the little things they had in common and banter and tease each other about those they didn't. Callie loved to harass Arizona over the blonde's extensive Celine Dion CD collection, and it cracked Arizona up that the hard-core bone-cruncher's guilty pleasures included watching Saturday morning Disney princess cartoons.

They laughed together, danced together. They fit and they complimented one another. And the physical pull was undeniable.

Weeks after she was sidelined with the flu, Arizona ran into Callie on her way to the Seattle Grace cafeteria. Callie was en route to check on a patient whose hand she'd reconstructed after it was crushed in a press at work. The elevator opened and Arizona saw Callie inside, leaning casually against its back wall. The two other occupants exited, and Arizona stepped in, her pulse quickening as soon as her eyes landed on her girlfriend's smiling face. The doors whooshed closed, and then it happened. Arizona rushed toward the brunette, her hands roaming all over her body. She grabbed Callie by the lapels of her lab coat and kissed her intensely. Their momentum took them to the back of the elevator with a clunk. Arizona was relentless and Callie was a willing captive. As the bell dinged for each floor they passed, Arizona's hands wrapped around Callie's backside, prompting a gasp from the brunette.

"Wait…Arizona…" Callie pleaded. She disentangled from her girlfriend's grasp.

For a fleeting moment, Arizona wondered if she'd gone too far, but the thought vanished when Callie reached out and pulled the "stop" button on the elevator and gave Arizona a look that made it clear that they were on the same page. Callie turned the tables, pinning Arizona to the wall. She kissed her wildly, and their mouths did more than merely dance; they began a sizzling tango complete with tongues dipping in and out, sliding back and forth, melting together until they were both left dizzy. Callie, eyes still closed, leaned back slightly when she felt Arizona end the kiss. She opened her eyes and a blush washed over her face as saw Arizona's smiling face. She's she realized she'd been caught with her hand cupping Arizona's right breast. She shifted to move it away, but Arizona stopped it with her own, smiling wider and holding Callie's fingers against her breast. Callie could feel that Arizona's body had responded to her eagerly.

"You turn me into a puddle of liquid fire, Calliope," Arizona whispered.

"And you saying that in my ear is not going to make me take my hands off you anytime soon. You know that, right?" Callie replied. "I know we don't need moonlight and roses, but I really think we deserve better than souvenir imprints of elevator buttons on our backs after our first time," she said in good humor. With a nod from Arizona, she let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding in, and pressed the button to allow the elevator to continue its mission.

Their eyes met again, and before they could process another thought, their lips did the same. They had just time enough to pull apart and move frantic hands to smooth disheveled hair before the elevator dinged for Callie's floor and the doors began to open. At exactly that moment, they both saw that Callie's badge, three pens, and the tiny Teddy bear that had been attached to Arizona's right lapel lay scattered on the elevator floor, apparent casualties of the passionate nature of their initial clinch.

"Uh, thank you for the consult, Dr. Robbins. I'll take that under advisement," Callie ad-libbed, reaching for the pens. From her perspective, she could see the feet of another staffer who'd entered. Arizona added a nervous smile that only highlighted the blush taking over her face and neck as she reached for Callie's badge.

"Good afternoon, ladies," Dr. Bailey said, picking up the Teddy bear and handing it to Arizona.

Callie flinched when she heard the voice. Bailey turned away from the women to face the doors, pressing another floor's button, and effectively shutting the elevator before either of them could move past her to exit. "Calm day today. Tidy surgical board, and no big traumas coming in so far," Bailey added.

"Hmmm, that's great," mumbled Callie.

"Oh, that's, that's awesome," Arizona stammered.

"It is, isn't it?" Bailey replied without turning back. "By the way Dr. Torres, you have Dr. Robbins' lip gloss all over ya face. Might wanna do a little something about that before the department meeting this afternoon," Bailey said. The elevator doors opened and she exited on her floor, grumbling under her breath as she walked away. "Never thought I'd actually miss the day when people tended to their business in on-call rooms. 'Consult,' my fanny. Getting so a person can't even use the damned elevator in peace." She waited until the elevator door closed again, and looked back at it with a thoughtful smile.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

As Callie slid into her sleeveless black dress in preparation for Alex & Izzie's wedding, a lopsided smile graced her lips. So much had changed since she met Arizona. She felt genuinely happy and contented, and for the first time her affection was returned in earnest. She believed she and Arizona had a strong foundation and she was excited to see where things might go. They had taken things slowly when it came to their physical relationship, but it was not easy holding back. This was actually another first for Callie. She wanted Arizona on an almost primal level, and it scared her how much. With other people, sex had always been fun and or exploratory, but this level of want had her fantasizing about Arizona in various states of undress at very inappropriate and inconvenient times.

This wasn't a sense of needing to get it right after things deteriorated so quickly with Erica; this was a driving need for one specific person, a desire like she'd never felt before. To be loved and explored, to open herself and be allowed to discover every beautiful inch of Arizona Robbins, the woman she had come to _love_. She knew it to be true, though they hadn't said it precisely, and for a while she wondered if somewhere along the line they'd tacitly agreed to wait to make love until they did utter the words. She hoped not. The waiting was downright painful, and the words would come when they were ready to put voice to what they already knew they felt.

Just days ago, Callie thought they both felt they were ready to move their relationship forward. She was really looking forward to their big date night, hoping for a nice meal at home, candles, music, and a major make-out session. And if all went well as she expected it would, they'd forgo they're usual pattern of hitting the brakes once things got to the point of combustion.

But when Callie came to Arizona's apartment, the blonde excitedly grabbed her by the arm, headed them out the door, escorted her to the "shot-gun" position of her car, and drove her to Chez Henri, a 4-star restaurant in the heart of Seattle's most affluent area. Callie's heart sank, and what was going to be a wonderful night suddenly became an evening of wondering how little she could eat and still seem like a sane person on a dinner date. Her stomach was in knots, so keeping to a salad wasn't especially difficult. But the discomfort tainted the evening, and after a night of uncharacteristically awkward silence and tension between them, Callie claimed to be exhausted and pleaded with a confused Arizona to take her home just after the bill arrived.

At that point, Callie's pride nearly allowed her to let Arizona walk out of her life. Rather than tell her what the problem was, she let Arizona believe their relationship might have simply run its course. She hated doing it, but her knee-jerk reaction was to avoid leaving herself vulnerable again or confiding in anyone. But the truth was, with Arizona she wanted to be open. More than anything, she wanted to let Arizona in, to tell her the things that really scared her; to tell her all the dreams she had for the future. Callie was far more comfortable presenting herself as the hard-core, kick-ass bone-breaker, and she exuded confidence in most situations, whether she truly felt confident or not. She didn't enjoy being exposed or seeming weak in any way, and she was pretty sure Arizona wouldn't exactly find "able to afford only ramen noodles and oatmeal" an attractive attribute at this stage of the game. When the conversation did come, it rushed over Callie like a tidal wave.

"Do you know what I was doing before they brought over the check?" Callie asked. "I was counting in my head, trying to figure out how I was going to buy food for the rest of the week if my half was $75, because I don't have $75, because my father disowned me and has cleared out my bank account. I am broke and I am exhausted, Arizona. I'm working in the ER because I need the money. Six people died on my watch today and I am fried. I wanted to stay in last night. I thought…I thought that last night would be the night for us. You know? _Our_ night. But you wanted to go to a fancy restaurant. I can't do that. I can't," Callie concluded through tears.

"It's okay. It's okay. Hey, so, we'll stay in, and we'll eat sandwiches," came the compassionate, nearly whispered reply. Arizona held Callie's hands tenderly.

"You don't even like sandwiches," Callie countered.

"But, I like the girl who has the sandwiches. Okay?" said Arizona.

"Okay," Callie said, appreciatively.

But Callie's mind was reeling. She was tired of settling, and tired of not being honest with herself, whether it was regarding a partner or a meal. Arizona meant too much to her not to forge ahead, or to let things go unsaid, even if they were little things.

"Wait. No. You know what?" Callie added. "I don't like sandwiches either. I like pizza," she said with a playfully defiant tone.

"I like pizza too," replied Arizona, her hands caressing Callie's. "From now on, something's wrong, you talk to me, okay?"

"Talking's good. I can do that. Or really try to. Promise. Um, Arizona?"

"Yes, Sweetie."

Callie had a visceral reaction to the nickname. It felt like her heart lifted just a bit inside her chest. "In the interest of communication and all, uh, I have to tell you a couple of things," she said.

"Oh. Okay," Arizona replied cautiously.

"First, and most importantly, you're driving me crazy," Callie blurted.

"What?" Arizona asked. She wondered if she'd blown it with the expensive dinner after all.

"You've made me nearly certifiable. You've gotta know how hard it is to pull back. I'm not great at delayed gratification anyway, and frankly I've had my share of cold showers and dates with my battery-operated BFF after you and I part ways," she stated frankly.

Arizona chuckled at the last sentence, completely relieved. Truth told, she'd have to plead the 5th Amendment if asked to testify whether she'd done the exact same thing.

"I want to be with you. Really _with_ you. Can we, um, do you…I mean, could we -. Do you want -" Callie stumbled.

"Calliope," Arizona mercifully interjected. "You have to know that you're the most desirable woman I've ever met. I'm embarrassed to admit how often I daydream about taking your clothes off piece by piece. And really, that's not even accurate because sometimes they just go 'POOF!' and disappear all at once 'cause hey, it's my daydream and I get to make the rules." Arizona could babble with the best of 'em.

At those words, the brightness of Callie's smile could challenge the fullest moon on the darkest night. "I like the way your mind works. So the next time it feels right for both of us, will you stay over? Stay the night with me?" Callie asked.

"Just try to stop me," Arizona replied. There was a brief pause. "Wait, what's the second thing?"

"Oh yeah. Well, I _like_ pizza, but I _love_ calzone," Callie said with a smile.

"Me too! They're amazing when they're fresh, hot, and juicy," Arizona replied excitedly. There was a pause as they both considered the last three words. "Hey, kinda like us," Arizona added with a waggle of her brows. "Come to think of it, 'cal-zone' sort of sounds like a combination of our names. I never thought of that before."

The brunette laughed. "I can see it now – we've got McDreamy, McSteamy, and Calzone. Seems a little off, though. There's got to be another way to combine our names. Maybe you should come first," Callie considered aloud.

"Maybe, but that remains to be seen," Arizona saucily replied, her voice dipping an octave.

"Oh my god," Callie said through a magnificent smile. She cleared her throat and struggled to bring her mind back to the topic at hand after pondering the double entendre. "Wow. Uh, what I meant was, the name's not quite right. Needs more of you. Ooooh, I got it. 'Calzona.' Oh yeah, just wait; someone will have that buzzing around the nurse's station and everyone'll be calling us that before you know it," she said with a laugh.

"I think it's kind of cute," Arizona said. "And it beats the heck out of being called 'Ariz-iope,'" she joked.

Her gaze lingered on the soft brown eyes that held her future in their expanse. "And yes, Calliope…I definitely think you should come first," she added wickedly.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Callie thought Arizona was stunningly attractive in scrubs and wearing no make-up. So seeing her as she was now, Callie thought seriously about calling to let the gang know they couldn't make it to wedding. The blonde wore a deep sky-blue off-the-shoulder dress that complimented her eyes, danced lightly over her collarbone, outlined the curve of her breasts, hugged her hips, and following the smooth contours of her backside. Callie had never actually drooled in response to another human being, and it made her snort back a laugh.

"What? "What is it? Oh god, do I have something on my face?" Arizona ran her fingers over her nose and mouth. "Is my dress tucked into my underwear back there?" she asked, turning like a puppy chasing its tail. "It is, isn't it? I feel so rushed, my surgery ran over, and I can't find my keys..."

"Slow down, Sweetheart. Your keys are on the counter by your clutch. Your face is beautiful and your dress is perfect. You're perfect," Callie said lovingly. "Relax. We're not going to be late. Take a breath. You look…" Callie stilled Arizona by linking their hands and took in the view from head to toe, noticing a slight blush come over Arizona's cheeks as she paused to gaze at the blonde's remarkable assets. "You…wow. I mean seriously Arizona, you look _delicious_." The word slipped so easily from her mouth, it actually surprised her. "We really should get going," Callie quickly added with a clearing of her throat.

In the car, Arizona shifted in her seat and could feel the result of her arousal from just being near Callie. Callie's response to seeing her, the things she said and the way she looked at her; Arizona felt the desire come off her girlfriend in waves. And the way Callie looked and smelled made Arizona come undone. Callie's light perfume mixed with her natural scent triggered something in Arizona. She'd met up with Callie outside the OR once after a particularly tricky spinal fusion, and wondered how it was that after a seven-hour surgery she could still smell so damned good. Her hair didn't smell like funky scrub cap – which they once joked should be a Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean from the Harry Potter candy collection. Instead, it had this clean unique Callie smell. It was like that no matter what. _How did she do that? _ It was crazy sexy. Some women worked hard to exude sex appeal, but Callie was downright erotic without trying, and on this night it was having an immediate effect on Arizona.

They sat in the parked car outside the church, and Callie was sure Arizona could hear or at least see her heart beating twice as fast as normal. There was electricity between them, and an unstated fact that held their eyes on each other – the knowledge that this was their night. Dozens of people sat in the church, their minds on Izzie and Alex, and Callie and Arizona intended to be truly present and in the moment. The only distraction was that as sure as they knew the sun would rise in the morning, Callie and Arizona somehow knew they'd be together to watch it come up. Arizona took Callie's hand and kissed her smooth fingers one by one.

"I think we should go in right now, or I'm not going to let you go at all," Arizona said.

"Well, maybe no one'll notice if we just -"

"No ma'am," Arizona cut Callie off, knowing she was already plotting their quick escape back to an apartment and a bed. "We can't bail on those two. They need positive energy and the presence of friends and those who love them. They need their special moment, and they need us right now. If I have anything to say about it, we have some pretty awesome moments of our own ahead," Arizona said. She met Callie with a light brushing of their lips, and exited the car.

The ceremony was bittersweet, with Izzie's declining health having a starring role. Alex's speech was incredibly moving, especially coming from a man some people would swear had another ass where his heart should be. It was clear, though, that they loved each other, and when they shared their first kiss as a married couple, genuine applause erupted throughout the pews.

At that moment, Callie gazed at Arizona with a suggestive look that stated more than asked what they would be doing when they left the wedding, and as they locked eyes, Arizona gave Callie a nod and playful nudge with her shoulder. This was Alex & Izzie's day, but would be Callie and Arizona's night. Callie saw so much promise reflected in Arizona's eyes, she couldn't resist placing a kiss on her cheek as they continued to applaud for the couple without missing a beat.

Still being her usual conscientious self behind the wheel (they'd all seen too many victims of auto accidents to be any other way), Callie challenged the engine of her 1966 Mustang a bit more than she had in a long while, hoping not to catch the eye of any officers who were feeling particularly nit-picky about the obeying of precise speed limits and such. With the radio softly playing a Smokey Robinson song, she silently hoped for green lights all the way home.

Black Beauty, as Callie called the car, was about as sleek and smooth as its owner, and with the help of mostly cooperative traffic lights, she got them back in good time. Callie's hand shook from a mixture of excitement and nervousness as she willed the key to navigate its way into the apartment door's lock. Once they gained entrance, nervousness started to dominate the mix. To settle things down, Callie poured a chilled white wine they'd discovered together while out shopping weeks previous. They kicked off their heels, joked about their love and hatred for whoever was responsible for their invention in the first place, and laughed again when they agreed the night called for saucy pizza to go with steamy Calzona. They placed the order; a combination of half veggie lovers, half Hawaiian.

Arizona made herself at home as Callie moved from room to room, looking for her iPod. After a couple of minutes, it dawned on her that she'd left it in her locker at the gym.

"We can use mine," Arizona said. "I usually keep it with me in case I get called into work."

Callie cocked her head to the side, waiting for Arizona to explain.

"Sometimes I use it for the kids. Cheers 'em up when things are a little bleak," Arizona explained. "If I have a chance, I can tailor to the music for kids if their parents tell me what they like to hear. Like a while back, I added some children's songs for a little girl whose recovery from a ruptured appendix was pretty rough going. She was only six, her family had just relocated from England, and she was having a tough time, missing her friends and all." She realized she was prattling on at this point. "Uh, she came out of it just fine and, and anyway, you're um, welcome to use it, of course. I have a lot on there and a couple of actual grown up playlists you might like."

Callie smiled, glad to know she wasn't the only one with nerves taking over. With shaking hands, she took the iPod and set off to the bedroom's docking station to get some soft music playing while Arizona continued to look around the familiar apartment.

"You know," Arizona spoke up so Callie could hear her in the other room. "I don't think I've ever told you how much I like your apartment. It's really nice. It's, it's…blue. Nice, the apartment is." Arizona rolled her eyes as her voice trailed off, irritated that her vocabulary abandoned her in her pathetic attempt to be cool. '_Nice, the apartment is?' And now I'm feakin' Yoda_, she inwardly chastised. She shook her head, put her wine glass down, and took a closer look at a picture frame that held a photo of Callie standing with her parents and sister. She'd noticed it on previous visits, but never had a chance to look closer. While she checked it out, it registered somewhere in her brain that Nora Jones' smooth, muted voice and the mellow sound of piano emanated from the direction of the bedroom.

She mused that Callie looked about 15 years old or so in the picture, not to mention completely adorable. She was about to say as much and ask where the photo was taken when she felt warm hands envelop her from behind and come to rest around her waist. Arizona set the frame back down and moved her hands to glide freely over the arms that engulfed her. She trembled from the wave of heat coming from the length of Callie's body pressed up against hers. Before her brain could process it, Callie's breath was hot against her neck, and she felt a series of soft kisses, with the tip of Callie's tongue sneaking out to trace a light path to her earlobe. Callie's efforts resonated directly to Arizona's core.

"Holy sh-" Arizona stopped herself, searching for less vulgar phrasing. "God, Calliope" she exhaled and leaned back into Callie further. "You don't know what you're doing to me."

"Don't I?" Callie replied with a smile, as she spun Arizona to face her.

Her glance moved between the need revealed in Arizona's eyes and the blonde's lips – lips she couldn't wait any longer to touch with her own. She dipped her head slightly, bringing their mouths together in a kiss that was urgent but not frenzied. Arizona's smile melded into Callie's, and they took turns capturing each other's lips. Arizona parted hers, hoping Callie would accept the invitation, and she was not disappointed. Callie's tongue danced along Arizona's bottom lip, tickling the sensitive skin there. Just when Arizona thought she couldn't take it anymore, Callie gently nibbled that same space, calming the tickle and starting all over again with Arizona's top lip.

They stood kissing, wrapped in each other's arms, pressed tightly against one another, until they were out of breath. A moan escaped Callie's lips as she took in the feeling of Arizona's yielding breasts against her own. The sound was captured by Arizona, whose tongue was busy exploring Callie's mouth, tasting her, wanting to devour her. For the first time in her life, Arizona understood how some women orgasm simply from kissing. Callie's heart was beating so rapidly that they could both feel it, and a palpable need had risen in both of them. Arizona broke the kiss to look into Callie's eyes; an eager look that begged the question: _is this really going to happen?_

The unspoken question was answered with a simple whisper. "I want you, Arizona."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

That was all it took. Arizona's lips rushed to Callie's; tongues met and swirled together in the warmth of Arizona's mouth, then Callie's and back again, all the while reveling in their different textures and tastes. Callie felt dizzy when Arizona gently sucked her tongue into her mouth, and when Arizona's hand found its way up to cup Callie's breast, an audible gasp could be heard over the room's soft music. Neither would have been able to swear who made the sound. A few thin layers of clothing couldn't hide Callie's reaction to the touch, and Arizona moaned in pleasure as the position of her hand allowed her to feel a nipple rise under her palm.

"Calliope, I need to feel all of you," she emphasized with a light, teasing kiss to Callie's upper lip. "See all of you," Arizona said, again punctuating with a kiss, this time to the lower bottom edge of Callie's full lower lip. "Taste all of you." She again paused for Callie's reaction, but a split second later, the room seemed to spin when Arizona felt Callie's answer come by way of her hands on Arizona's back, taking steps to remove her dress, which had quickly loosened and fallen lower down her shoulders. Callie kissed the newly exposed skin there, letting her tongue taste the area along Arizona's delicate collarbone and the soft skin at the point where it joins the base of her neck. She moved both hands to either side of Arizona's face before kissing her way along the blonde's jawbone and pressing their lips together in a closed kiss that made them feel they were breathing the same air.

"I'm yours, Arizona," she said as she broke the kiss. "As long as you understand that I want all of that from you, too." As Callie spoke, their foreheads came to rest against each other.

"I understand I'm a very lucky woman," she said before gently trapping Callie's lower lip with between her teeth and swirling her tongue over it, driving their passion further. Callie's hands moved slowly up Arizona's arms, traveling around to caress her back and pull her closer. The blonde reached down to the lace hem of Callie's black dress, feeling the fiery skin on the outside of her girlfriend's thigh, and eliciting goose bumps wherever she made contact.

"Arizona, I don't think I can stand up much longer. Maybe we should- "

A ring of the doorbell changed the trajectory of Callie's sentence. "- get the door," she finished with an exasperated sigh.

"That had better be one hell of an awesome freakin' pizza," Arizona mumbled quietly to herself, unable to prevent her eyes from taking in the sight of her girlfriend's backside as she moved toward the door. Dress askew, Arizona ducked into the kitchen, out of sight of the doorway.

Callie hoped that handing the guy a $10 tip would make up for the fact that she had no idea what he'd said, what she'd said, what he'd brought, or what she'd ordered. For that matter, Callie's brain had such trouble changing gears quickly, that she wasn't entirely certain the visitor was in fact the pizza delivery guy until he was gone and she stood staring at the closed door with a warm cardboard box in her hands.

Arizona, whose voice brought her back to clarity, had a very strong effect on her, indeed.

"So. Pizza. Yum. Um, you want me to get some plates?" Arizona queried, fully aware of the answer before she asked the question. She turned where she stood in the kitchen, half-heartedly moving to open a cupboard.

Callie laughed. "You make a move anywhere other than toward me, and I'll tackle your ass. Get over here, Robbins," Callie demanded playfully while setting the pizza on the counter.

"Sweet talker," Arizona's dimpled smile made Callie weak-kneed. She would do just about anything for those dimples.

"Please. I meant to say please," Callie backpedalled, her own sexy grin forming as she did so.

"I think I'm in trouble here, Dr. Torres," Arizona said, stepping closer. Callie looked at her inquisitively. "You see," Arizona continued, "I'm kind of crazy about you." She emphasized her point by taking Callie in her arms possessively.

"Yeah?" Callie questioned.

"Definitely," Arizona nodded resolutely with one eyebrow raised.

"So, Dr. Robbins…"

"Hmmm?" Arizona replied.

"How do you feel about cold pizza?" Callie asked.

"I have a feeling it's going to be my new favorite," she said, with a slow, widening smile.

Without another word, Callie led Arizona to the bedroom, hand in hand. The opening bars of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" were barely audible, but Arizona couldn't tell if that was because Callie had turned the iPod down a bit at some point or because her own pulse was so fast the sound of it rushing through her ears partially blocked the music out.

Callie looked into her girlfriend's eyes and moved her hand to gently caress the blonde's silky shoulder-length hair. She cupped her hand around Arizona's neck, drawing her closer.

"You are just _so_ beautiful," Callie said as her gaze dropped from blue, heavy-lidded eyes to lips that still wore just the faintest trace of peach lipstick. She slowly moved toward Arizona until their lips brushed together with just the slightest touch. The fire ignited again as soon as Arizona sensed the warmth of Callie's breath on her lips, and Arizona's hands flew to the sides of Callie's face, pulling her closer to deepen the kiss.

They stumbled together, passing the bed, making a thud as Callie's back connected with the wall near the window. Arizona pressed Callie into it, conscious thought abandoning her. Her body was fueled by her need to have this woman be everywhere at once. Arizona's hands clutched at black fabric, pulling Callie toward her, simultaneously grinding into her, pushing her against the wall. Again, Callie had trouble standing; she would later swear Arizona must have been holding her up. In a sense, she was. Arizona's leg positioned itself between Callie's thighs and the brunette instinctively moved her hips, seeking friction.

Desperate to feel more skin-to-skin contact, Arizona pulled Callie by the front of her dress, walking backwards and leading the brunette to the bed.

"Clothes…off," Arizona nearly growled.

Callie obliged, but not in the way Arizona had in mind. The dark-haired beauty made quick work of freeing Arizona of her dress, snaking it down her body, hands working the fabric past her hips and onto the floor. Breaking their kisses only when logistically necessary, Arizona reciprocated, stripping Callie of all but her bra and panties. Callie couldn't process this mutual driving need, it was more powerful and unrelenting than anything she'd experienced before. It was beyond rationale, beyond thought, and she had no intention – as long as Arizona wanted her the same way – to deny its demands.

Looking into Arizona's eyes, Callie reached behind her to unhook the strapless bra. She let it fall to the floor to join the growing pile of unwanted material there. Callie finally let her gaze lower, and she lost her breath. Arizona's full, pert breasts existed in defiance of gravity. Callie slowly moved her fingers to lightly graze their outermost curves. She grew bolder and cupped them, lowering her head, kissing between them, forging a trail of soft kisses to where her hands had just been. Arizona's head flew back, and it was her turn to experience standing on knees that had turned to jelly.

"Bed," was all the blonde could say.

Callie moved to lay Arizona down, but an insistent hand stopped her movement.

"There's not enough room on the bed for this," Arizona said, as she reached around Callie and – with one hand – unhooked her black lace bra, throwing it across the room. Arizona had been with many women and seen many lovely breasts, but she stood in stunned silence as her eyes feasted on the sight before her. Callie's skin was so exquisitely smooth that it looked like a commissioned work of art, and her generous breasts made Arizona's mouth water. She immediately touched and teased them, watching enraptured as the areolae stiffened, creating little mountainous ridges leading to impossibly hard nipples.

Callie took control, finally laying Arizona down on the bed, putting her weight on top of her, and placing a leg between the blonde's legs. She turned her attention to Arizona's neck, kissing and softly licking, sucking ever so lightly. She again moved toward Arizona's breasts, exploring the round, fullness of their outside curves, back toward the small pink nipples that grew more taut and strained at her touch. She let her tongue lick and tease Arizona's left breast, then captured its nipple in the warmth of her mouth, alternating between sucking it and flicking it with her tongue. Arizona gasped and moved her hips in search of release.

"Calliope," Arizona moaned. "Please…"

To Callie, there was no sexier sound than Arizona's voice moaning her name, especially using her full name as only Arizona did. But Callie wanted to prolong Arizona's pleasure, and purposely moved so as not to let her go over the edge so quickly.

Removing her knee from between Arizona's legs, Callie immediately missed the heat she'd found there. She let her hand slide its way down Arizona's toned stomach, trace the smooth skin of her left hip, and caress the blonde's inner thigh. Her fingers snaked their way under blue silky panties, eliciting a sharp intake of air from her girlfriend. Arizona's head turned to the side, and she bit her bottom lip to keep from swearing.

"Oh god," Callie moaned when her fingers brushed over soft hair and moist heat. Arizona placed her hand over Callie's, imploring her to explore further, and Callie obliged by pressing her hungry palm into her center.

"_You put your right arm in_

_Your right arm out_

_In out, In out_

_You shake it all about…"_

The iPod blared the British "Hokey Cokey" from its temporary home on Callie's bedside dock.

"Oh crap! I'm so sorry!" Arizona shrieked. She could barely hear her own voice over Callie's boisterous laughter.

"Whoa now. 'Put your right arm in…?' That's a lot of pressure," the brunette joked as she moved off of Arizona reluctantly.

Arizona squirmed to reach the music dock to stop the mood-busting tune. "Callie, I swear, this was in no way meant to be an instruction manual," she laughed.

"It's funny as hell, baby. Besides, I'm the one who pushed 'random' on the iPod instead of taking the time to choose a playlist. Maybe you should pick something a little more appropriate," she suggested.

The words had barely left her mouth when she began to hear Hall and Oats' mellow voices mingling in calming tones, singing "Sara Smile."

Callie smiled when she heard the melody. "Oooh, that's much better. I'm pretty sure we're both imagining a night that doesn't include a hokey _anything_, though I certainly wouldn't mind at all if you want to shake it all about," she said with a suggestive look.

"You are one saucy woman. And that can be arranged," Arizona replied. "You sure know how to recapture a mood," she added, also relieved to hear a more suitable song softly playing. "Mmmm, yeah. I've always loved this song," she said. There's just something about it."

They lay on their sides facing each other on the bed, and Arizona marveled at the ease with which they could share a belly laugh one minute and be all over each other the next. This was new and it made her feel indescribably whole. Whatever this was, now that she'd found it, she wanted to hold on and never let it go.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"You're stunning," she said, openly admiring Callie's soft curves, fingertips tracing the thin material that still covered her, and trying very hard not to be too obvious in ogling the two delectably bare breasts that seemed to be calling to her.

"I love the way you see me," Callie replied. "Two words and you literally take my breath away." She took Arizona's hand in her own and placed it over her chest as if to illustrate her point.

Callie looked into Arizona's eyes and moved slightly closer to initiate another gentle, closed kiss. Her hands moved to cup Arizona's face, and with the movement, their uncovered breasts brushed, nipples touching. Behind closed eyes Arizona saw stars. She was lost in the kiss, reveling in the feel of Callie's warm, full lips pressing against her mouth, and in the indescribably sublime feeling of Callie's taut nipples brushing against her own. The blonde shifted slightly, rolling Callie onto her back and entwining their legs together. Callie moaned and instinctively raised her hips when Arizona's right knee came to rest at her lace-covered core. Their kisses grew more intense, and they began to rock in rhythm. Arizona suddenly stopped moving, earning an audible protest from her girlfriend.

"Wow, these are so sexy on you," Arizona admired. She held a look of open lust as she grasped the black panties, then looked up at Callie as if to ask one last time. She saw her answer in the returned trust and hunger she found in Callie's eyes, and she guided the material down Callie's long, toned legs. "If it's all right with you, I'd really love not to see them – or anything else – on you for the rest of weekend." Arizona's tone had turned a bit more demanding, and Callie found it sexy as hell.

The offending fabric tossed aside, Arizona worked her way back up Callie's body, letting her hands roam and explore the tops of pedicured toes, slim ankles, toned calves, tanned thighs, and the voluptuous curves of Callie's hips. She paused to gaze at the newly exposed expanse covered by short dark brown curls that held so much promise. Just inches away, Arizona could smell Callie's arousal, and it threatened to take her over, even without touch. Callie's head rolled back into the pillows as she felt Arizona's thighs straddle her legs and the soft tickle of Arizona's golden mane splay out across her chest. Arizona paused to place several kisses along each breast, her tongue frolicking along the peaks, flicking each nipple. Arizona grazed the left nipple with her teeth and treated the right to a gentle pinch between her thumb and forefinger. Callie's hands slid through her blonde locks, holding her in place, begging for more contact. Arizona sucked first one, then the other nipple deep into her mouth, drawing a gasp from Callie, who arched her back in response.

Callie guided Arizona in for a long, deep, wet kiss, and as they briefly broke away, her eyes took in the sight before her. Arizona's breasts hovered over her, causing her to lick her lips in anticipation. Without thought, she reached a hand up to cradle and massage Arizona's left breast as her head raised up to meet its rigid nipple. Warm, wet tongue on sensitive flesh caused a rush of arousal to pool at Arizona's center just as Callie situated her right leg between Arizona's. The blonde took in a gulp of air when Callie's raised knee nestled up against her bare center. Arizona knew it wouldn't take much to thrust her over the edge, so to prolong the delightfully inevitable, she continued to concentrate on the gorgeous woman under her.

She moved aside slightly, her hand on a mission. Her fingertips grazed along Callie's hip, sliding from her outer thigh, tracing the soft flesh that led to her apex. Arizona snaked her right hand between their bodies and Callie gasped when her fingers reached their destination. With the back of her fingers, Arizona lightly grazed the trimmed hair and took in the wetness and heat that gathered there. She lowered her head to kiss Callie, and this time was met with almost desperate enthusiasm. Callie's arms pulled at Arizona's back, their tongues battled for ownership of one another, and Callie's hips rocked upward, begging for friction. Arizona let her fingers gently spread Callie's folds and explore her, nearly going over the edge herself when she felt softness and heat unlike anything she'd ever known.

"Oh my god, Callie. You're like silken lava. So sexy," she whispered near Callie's open mouth.

"Mmmm…Arizona, please…" came the moaned response.

Arizona coated two of her fingers in the hot juices she helped create and brought them up to circle around Callie's clit, thrilled to discover it rigid and eager for release. She pressed lightly on the hood, eliciting such an erotic moan from her girlfriend that again Arizona thought she might have her own orgasm just by watching and hearing her. The brunette's hips raised as Arizona placed a finger on either side of her clit, rubbing back and forth along the shaft, feeling the nub grow even larger. Callie's breathing was ragged and her back arched. Arizona kissed her, nibbling Callie's full bottom lip, relentlessly massaging around her pulsing clit. She broke the kiss and they locked eyes.

"I…please…" Callie repeated, her brain unable to come up with more than one syllable words.

"Calliope…" but all words failed Arizona. As she held Callie's heavy-lidded gaze, Arizona fully slid two fingers fully inside her.

It was so much. It was everything. Looking into Arizona's eyes, seeing the love there, with such desire and trust; Callie's head flew back, her eyes closed, and the world turned upside-down. There was the sensation of implosion – not an orgasm, but a feeling of being touched so deeply, as if the physical connection were a mirror to the emotional realm. She couldn't comprehend it rationally, but her heart and body understood it completely. Her hips rose to meet Arizona's fingers with each movement; a sensual, deliberate, languorous dance rather than manic thrusting. Arizona reveled in the silky feeling of Callie's walls, and in how wet her girlfriend was for her.

She instinctively knew what Callie's body was asking for, and added the leverage of her knee, creating more friction behind each slow movement. She curled her fingers, caressing Callie's g-spot, and used her thumb to caress Callie's clit directly with each stroke, bringing about the first stirrings of a deep, internal orgasm. Callie felt it in her feet, spreading up her legs, as behind her eyes she saw a montage of brilliant sunsets. Arizona moved to kiss and lightly suck Callie's neck, keeping the rhythm, loving her, guiding her over the edge.

Arizona's breath on her neck was all she could take. "Oh fu –…oh god…I'm, I'm-," Callie struggled to make actual words that seemed crucial to her but weren't actually needed at all. The orgasm washed over her thoroughly, in waves that flowed from her extremities to her core and back again. The women moved in sync for what seemed to Callie to be a blissful eternity, until her body went limp in Arizona's arms. Arizona removed her fingers, and when Callie heard her moan, she looked down to find her girlfriend licking them clean.

"Mmmm," she said, licking her lips. "You and I, we have a date later," Arizona said to Callie's center.

Arizona lay with her head resting at Callie's apex, feeling her lover's body slowly come back down to a resting state.

After a few minutes, Callie found her voice. "I think I just died a little bit," she said, smiling as her vocabulary slowly returned. "And it was glorious."

Arizona smiled and came back up to lie down beside Callie, carefully brushing aside a couple of wayward hairs that had moved and essentially plastered themselves to cover Callie's eyes when they mixed with a little perspiration. "You're really okay, Sweetie?"

"Oh god. I, I don't have the words. I think you took me to another planet or universe or…what's bigger than a universe? Seriously, what just happened?" she asked, only a little rhetorically.

"What do you mean?" Arizona replied.

"I've never, and I've…plenty, but I've never, ever…" Callie babbled through a smile, still trying to catch her breath.

"You might need to add a verb in there somewhere," Arizona laughed.

"I mean, obviously I've…done that before, and even when it was with guys it wasn't, it's never been that…I mean it was…" she struggled.

Words weren't going to cut it. She wanted to communicate so much more to Arizona. It was staggering to Callie that somehow having that powerful experience and orgasm had left her feeling simultaneously fulfilled and with an even stronger need to connect with her partner. She kissed Arizona, letting her feelings flow into the embrace. She would have to tell her through touch now, as words failed her. They would make time for words later.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Callie turned them so that she came to rest over Arizona, their legs entangled. Her knee pressed at Arizona's core as before, and she continued kissing her, exploring her mouth with her tongue, navigating the curves of her body with hungry fingers.

Callie moved to kiss and nibble Arizona's neck, and soon found that it was a major source of pleasure for the blonde. Her back arched and she ground her center into Callie's knee in a successful search for friction. Callie took each of Arizona's hands in her own and moved them above the blonde's head, holding them there lightly with one hand. She kissed Arizona's lips, brushing slightly across them before diving in, allowing their tongues to mingle as she set a rhythm with her knee. Arizona moaned and broke the kiss.

"Calliope, I'm going to explode. Please." she appealed. After tasting Callie and witnessing her climax, Arizona thought a stiff breeze could probably trigger her own.

Without words, Callie smiled and released Arizona's arms, caressing them as she moved down her body. Her long brown tresses fell lazily over Arizona's neck and shoulders along the journey, and Arizona moved her hands through them to feel their softness between her fingers. Callie kissed, kneaded, and licked the pale, attentive breasts that waited for her, never ceasing the rhythmic movement of her knee. She moved further down, kissing Arizona's flat stomach and dipping her tongue into her belly button. Her hands found the last bit of material standing between their naked bodies, and craving better access, Callie looped her thumbs and forefingers at the edges of the silk and pulled the garment down shapely legs, slinging it onto the floor.

Her mouth watered when she saw the newly exposed short, dark blonde curls in a natural triangular pattern. The sheer beauty mesmerized Callie. She moved her right hand down between their bodies and for the first time directly felt the wetness gathered at Arizona's center. She wasn't sure she'd ever been more turned on in her life, with the only possible exception having taken place just moments ago, under Arizona's ministrations. Her fingers explored and were rewarded with a hot, wet greeting, and she discovered a scent so uniquely Arizona that Callie wanted to dive in and become a permanent resident. She massaged Arizona's outer lips and guided her forefinger inside, finding the sweet spot on the upper inside wall. When Arizona whimpered, Callie added her middle finger. Arizona sat up partially from the bolt of pleasure that shot through her. It felt like Callie was caressing her soul and healing her heart at the same time through one physical act. It was overwhelming, and she wasn't sure how she'd hung on this long without an orgasm.

She was on the precipice when she looked down just in time to see the sexiest thing she'd ever viewed; Callie looked up at her, put one hand on Arizona's left breast, and snaked her tongue between Arizona's folds. She let it swirl in circles around Arizona's swollen clit, and dipped down below to lap up more sweet, tangy liquid. She closed her eyes and flattened her tongue, running the length of Arizona's sex. Moans took over the room, both women swept away in the moment. Callie's free hand moved from one breast to the other, kneading and lightly flicking the nipples while she unceasingly licked, circled, and finally sucked on Arizona's clit. She was in heaven, and before she had a chance to do nearly the amount of exploration and play she wanted, Arizona's hands were directing her head, clearly leading her to the perfect position for her release.

The feeling of Callie's hot mouth fully on her clit was Arizona's undoing. The build-up had been the longest of her life; Callie had somehow kept her right on the edge, almost since the moment her knee first found its rhythm, and teetering on the verge like this was something she'd never experienced so profoundly. It was like having a high without ever crashing back down. Just as the first waves of Arizona's orgasm finally hit, Callie added a third finger, sending the blonde upright for the second time.

"Cal – mmm…oh, oh my god!" she screamed, fingers entwined in Callie's hair. Her head flailed back down to the pillow, and her body blissfully and obediently played the symphony Callie and orchestrated.

Callie sucked and swirled, keeping her three-fingered rhythm until Arizona's grip told her she could take no more. Her own heart racing, Callie came up to meet her.

"Arizona…I can't believe that just happened," Callie said, still trying to catch her breath.

"Whew. Hang on. Words…breathing…too hard," came Arizona's response.

A moment passed during which they lay quietly, holding hands and caressing each other while heartbeats returned to normal.

"What didn't you believe? You were amazing. I've never felt like that before," said Arizona. "Calliope, you had me at hello, but you kept me dangling like you do this for a living. Wait, I didn't mean it quite like that, but you get it, right? That was without a doubt the most amazing thing I've ever experienced," Arizona asserted.

Callie smiled the smile meant only for Arizona. "I have to tell you something," she said sheepishly. "What I was trying to say earlier. It's just, this whole thing is new to me. I was so wet for you, so turned on. I couldn't put things into words before and I still don't really know how."

"Honey, what are you trying to say?" Arizona asked in amusement. "You can tell me anything," she added.

"Okay," she began. "For one thing, while I was down there, as you went over, I went again…with you. I couldn't believe it. Your movements, your taste, the sounds you made – I was grinding my hips against the bed without knowing it and when you went, I went again," Callie said.

This connection was something that seemed to be taking them both to new terrain, and although Arizona thought she understood the epiphany occurring in front of her, she wanted to let Callie process and keep talking.

"So basically, 'holy shit!' is what I'm trying to say, Arizona!" Callie said with a huge smile, hoping it made as much sense to Arizona as it did to her. Things were very clear to her now, but she needed to try to help Arizona know how the blonde affected her in every way. "You made love to me and I just…it all got so clear to me. I get it. I get it now. It wasn't about me not wanting something; it was about me needing to find the right person to want it with. That was so damned amazing. You're amazing," she repeated. "I want this. I want it all the time. And I want it with you," Callie blurted.

Callie had a split-second pang of melancholy for what Erica must have been feeling when they were first intimate. But she knew this was different, and that she and Arizona – unlike the way it was in her brief time with Erica – were in a mutual, fulfilling relationship based on friendship, trust, and sexual combustion. It was what Callie always craved but could never find.

"I was so worried that maybe I was some sort of freak who could be attracted to a woman – or even fall in love with a woman – but find out she can't really fully 'go there' when it comes to intimacy," Callie continued. I've told you about Erica and how that didn't go so well even after we 'went there.' But I didn't even have to think about it with you. I _had_ to have you. There was no thinking, no wondering. I needed to have you, explore you, taste you. I still do. Ready to go again?" she asked playfully, sitting up on all fours, facing Arizona.

"Easy there, Beautiful. You know I'd love to, but it might kill me. And what a way to go," Arizona said playfully. "It's a good thing we're both doctors, because I have a feeling we're going to need medical attention if we don't pace ourselves. I can't see ever not wanting you. I'd worry a little if I were you. Now I know what I've been missing, I'm going to be around a lot more," Arizona said.

"Baby, now that I know what_ I've_ been missing, we'll be lucky to leave this apartment," Callie joked.

Epilogue

She'd once told Callie she could eat an entire medium pizza by herself, and with all the energy she'd expended over the past couple of hours, Arizona was nearly up for the challenge.

Still somewhat modestly entangled in the soft blue sheets, Callie lay back, resting on one elbow. She was thoroughly enthralled by the magnificent, barely covered woman sitting in front of her. Without looking, and still the throes of her post-coital buzz, Arizona grabbed for another slice.

"Whoa, that's a big piece ya got there. Sure you're up for it?" Callie laughed, unsure where the petite woman was going to store her fourth slice. In defiance, Arizona took a much too large bite that immediately left a trail of sauce at the corner of her mouth.

"Did I really just do that? You want me bad now, don't you?" Arizona rolled her eyes at the clumsy, uncouth behavior she would rather have held off displaying until they'd been together for another five years. She smiled at that thought and instinctively made a move to wipe her mouth, but Callie gently pushed her hand aside.

"Yes. I do," Callie said in earnest. "Hang on. Ya got a little something right…_there_" Callie said, swiping the sauce from Arizona's lips with her thumb. Arizona quickly pulled Callie's saucy digit into her mouth, sucking it clean.

"Mmm…food tastes so much better on Callie skin. I'll have to remember that," Arizona purred.

Callie laughed and felt flush take over her cheeks and chest. Arizona's heart melted at that laugh, and she knew she wanted to spend her life finding new ways to bring it out.

"I've been thinking," Arizona said. "I feel like I'm ready to do the Hokey dance."

"Mmm, okay," Callie responded reflexively. "Wait. What?" Callie amended.

"Calliope, with you…" Arizona softly whispered. "With you…I'm ready to put my whole self in."

Etta James' voice resonated in the distance as a wave of warmth rushed over Callie. She realized it that night – she finally had it. She'd found the perfect combination of everything she'd been wanting; the fairytale, the deep friendship, and the explosive sexual chemistry. She found it all in one Arizona Robbins, _at last_.

END

_**Thank you so much for taking the time to read my fic. I would really appreciate reading your feedback if you have another moment to leave it.**_


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